Agenda item

The Director of Planning, Development and Transportation submits a report outlining the revised timetable for the Local Plan, including provisions for consultation and scrutiny.  The Commission is recommended to note public consultation for this stage of the replacement Leicester Local Plan, as set out in the report, and the revised timetable, and to comment as appropriate.

The Director of Planning, Development and Transportation submitted a report outlining the revised timetable for the Local Plan, including provisions for consultation and scrutiny. 

Members were reminded that an additional Special Meeting of this Commission would be held on 12 October 2020, at which the full Draft Local Plan would be scrutinised.

The Team Leader (Generic Planning) reminded Members that consultation on the Draft Local Plan had been due to start on 23 March 2020, but had been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  Instead, the consultation period had started on 14 September 2020, using the same documents as would have been used for the consultation in March.

The Team Leader (Generic Planning) and the Head of Planning drew attention to the following points:

·           Additional evidence completed since March would be consulted on in parallel with the Draft Plan.  However, it did not inform policies and strategies in the Draft Plan and would be considered at the next stage of the Plan process;

·           The White Paper “Planning for the Future” raised the possibility of substantial changes to the planning system, including proposals to abolish the duty to co-operate with other local authorities in the preparation of Local Plans.  However, the Council needed to continue to work with neighbouring authorities, particularly in relation to its unmet housing and employment needs;

·           The final Local Plan was due to be ready by autumn 2021.  There would be further consultation before its adoption in summer 2022;

·           Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it had been necessary to change the way in which consultation was undertaken.  Information on this was set out in the report; and

·           The government was encouraging Planning authorities to not pause preparation of new Local Plans.  This Council did not see any advantage in delaying preparation of a Plan for two years pending adoption of the proposals in the White Paper, so was continuing the process.

Members noted that further consultation would be undertaken on the Submission Plan produced in autumn 2021.  All comments made on the current consultation would be forwarded to the Planning Inspector as part of that submission.  It was noted that individuals could make representations for consideration at the subsequent Examination of the Plan, but it was the Inspector’s decision on who was called to speak.  This was a change in procedure since the last Local Plan was adopted.

Some concern was expressed that people without internet access would not be able to engage in the consultation.  In reply, the Team Leader (Generic Planning) advised that the consultation process had been adapted in response to restrictions imposed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.  As well as web-based consultation, officers were happy to discuss the contents of the Draft Plan by telephone, or print hard copies of relevant parts of the Draft Plan for people, as it was recognised that many people did not have access to the internet. 

In addition, notices had been put up in libraries advising of the consultation and hard copies of response questionnaires would be available there.  Discussions also were underway in preparation for holding virtual Ward Meetings for Councillors who wished to have one.  A presentation on the Draft Local Plan would be made at these, in order to provide a further opportunity for residents to give feedback.

It was questioned whether the White Paper “Planning for the Future” would be enacted by the time that the Local Plan was adopted.  If it was, this could mean that the city could be required to provide 30% less housing than at present.  In response, the Head of Planning advised that the government was consulting on a set of proposals in relation to this, but had indicated that these were likely to change following consultation.  Actual figures therefore were not known yet and it was very much in the interests of the City to secure an approved Local Plan in order to take advantage of any transitional period to the new system, which could take years to implement.

AGREED:

1)    That the public consultation for the arrangements for this stage of the replacement Leicester Local Plan, including the revised timetable, be noted; and

2)    That scrutiny of the full proposals contained in the replacement Leicester Local Plan be undertaken at the Special Meeting of this Commission to be held on 12 October 2020.